Renovating Italy hits the road – Liguria

by Lisa Chiodo

Creating this simple life is a work in progress, one we are yet to completely embrace. I know and believe with all my heart that it will be the making of our little family.

We set off for Liguria with high hopes, expecting beautiful weather, gelato, family time, some much needed rest and relaxation. Each of these arrived in different ways, at unexpected moments, our maiden voyage in the camper van was an education for all of us.

We managed to survive without computers, no internet, no online games or movies to watch, I was surprised how quickly the addiction was broken.

We played Mastermind, Hangman, Join the Squares, drew, read, walked, made new friends along the way, and actually spent time with each other. In this stress filled world we live in, just bowing out for a week was a real treat. Since returning we’ve fallen back into old habits, our comfortable routines, and our family love affair with the computer.

exploring Albenga, Liguria

exploring Portofino

finding a friend in Veravo

looking for an agent in Albenga

Finding an agent for our house in Veravo was a little more challenging, a total change from the buying / selling process we are so familiar with in Australia. A number of agents wouldn’t take on a ‘Rustico’ and were luckily happy to put us onto an agent that would. So our house in Liguria is now on the market, yet I secretly hope we’ll find a way to keep it. The entire valley is gorgeous and so close to the beach and towns on the Italian riviera. Albenga is the closest town and she totally captured my heart with her Medieval walled center. So now we wait and see what happens.

taking a dip at Monterosso al Mare

Luca celebrated his tenth birthday on the road, was happy with the perfect gift found in a tiny souvenir shop in Monterosso al Mare ( a bag of prehistoric creatures which just happened to include a Gastornis!) we had a simple cake the next day with friends on the way home, a family we met on the road gave him a gift of a helium balloon and a golden Lindt chocolate rabbit complete with ribbon and bell. Just tiny gifts and special moments, he had a wonderful birthday.

heading home to Malpertus

With hundreds of images to sort through and share I’ll be creating resources on all the places we visited. Right now I’m off to bed, after a day at home I have managed to come down with the flu and am feeling rotten. I hope you all had a wonderful Easter Break, I have lots of stories, adventures and ideas to share with you and I’ll be posting here with all the details.

If you have any thoughts or questions on anything I’m sharing I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

Wonderful pictures and it looks like you had a fabulous time. I love the Cinque Terre and have stayed several times in Monterosso and hiked the trails to Vernazza and on down to Riomaggiore– it is such a gorgeous place and so relaxing without all the traffic and confusion we get in Rome. Your kids look so sweet. I also love the photo of the very sexy-looking Italian waiter smoking in the doorway of the restaurant. He seems to be trying to make the bella figura even in a moment of relaxation — how very Italian!
On another topic, it looks like you have re-vamped your blog — I like the way it looks with the strip at the top and the clear subscribe option. I think it is time I re-vamp mine too, but not sure I am capable. Anyway, my compliments, it looks great. Always love reading your posts, the put me in a good mood. Looking forward to the next one. Hugs, TrishaTrisha Thomas recently posted..The Four Pope Mega-Event

What a great trip! I’m so happy for you and your family. Loved the pictures so much. I can’t believe how big your kids are getting. Oh I wish I could buy the house in Liguria. Our families could take turns vacationing in it. One day….

Hey it’s just a cold although a visit from you dear Krista would be fantastic….and with soup WOW xx
Every time I see your gumboots on fb I laugh, I so love your way of being, I think I have to look out for some of those boots for Carina and I, they are happiness on your feet lol xxx

I am stateside, Nevada, but follow your adventures in Italy..Love all things Italy and yes, I
know it isn’t all ‘chocolate and roses’, but come on! You’re in Italy…..You guys are very
lucky……How great that you have a camper and can tour around the pennisula, I for one am very envious, although I know it’s taken lots and lots of work on your parts..Good on you mate(s)!

Ciao Will, great to meet you and I’ve never been to Nevada…..I did backpack in America in my 20′s and loved it. Not all chocolate and roses but it is so much more, salami and wild flowers. Italy is just an incredible place to live, especially where we are up in the mountains with the locals. The camper is so much fun and our son Luca wanted to park it at our house so he could keep sleeping in it. It has been lots of work, nearly 20 years of renovating in Australia and Italy and with the kids and family life as well, we never gave up on our dreams. Strewth Mate, chuck a prawn on the barbie for us lol xxx

Happy Birthday Luca!! Looks like you had a wonderful break away after the ill health which plagued you all recently to greater and lesser degrees! I’m sure whatever happens with the house you have put on the market the best outcome will present itself xoxIngrid recently posted..Writer’s Retreat!!

Hey Ingrid, he had a great birthday, we have some money the grandparents sent as well to get a few more treats for him. It’s school holidays here and they go back tomorrow so might try for a small party next weekend. I’m so torn about selling the house in Liguria, it could be incredible and I love the area and so close to the beach, I know you think outside the box and so do we so who knows xx

Sounds like a wonderful time was had by all! I’m envious of the destination, but most of all, the ability to disconnect! I SO wanted to do that during my trip and occurrences at home simply made it impossible. NEXT time, I will do better, for sure. I can’t wait to hear more and see the photos of your Easter/Spring vacation!

Hey Wynne next time you come you’ll be able to go tripping about Italy with us in the van! I am seeing that I need to disconnect more often and find ways to create an income from my writing and blogging. So many photos between Sam and myself I need a full time photographic manager lol xx

Hope all is going great with you and we have to skype again soon, this time from a cafe I think xxxx

I’m in front of the fire right now, it’s cold outside and just had the most wonderful Skype call with another B-Schooler who lives in Italy and is Scottish. She was also on House Hunters and is an artist and has her home open to visitors on AirBnB. Really nice woman and we had so much in common. I love being able to reach out via Skype now it’s so great to be able to chat xxxLisa Chiodo recently posted..Our Italian Life – a work in progress

What a wonderful time you had! Reminds me of traveling with my children when they were little, only it was in the US Smokey Mountains and Rocky Mountains. I’ll look forward to reading your posts.Marcia recently posted..Happy Easter

Ciao Marcia, I remember camping with my family up in NSW and loving the freedom and making new friends. I bet the Rocky mountains are spectacular, I’d love to visit one day. I love the thought of serendipitous cooking lol xx
ciao ciao lisa x

Carolyn I think we need a little reminder every now and then to get off line and out doors. Luca made his own snakes and ladders game and we didn’t have a dice so used ‘rock paper scissors’ style to get a number it was so funny. I’m working through all the photos, you know what it’s like, xxx

Lisa, you’ve become so Italian that you even go round in a camper van!!! How fun!!! Take a drive down to Sicilia one of these days. When did you buy a house in Liguria? And is the Veravo house the cute one you just finished renovating? Sounds like you have a LOT going on. xxxxxxx Baci & happy belated Easter.jann recently posted..Comment on Sicilians on (Easter) Parade by Jann

I know how funny are we!
The camper is great and we met such wonderful people along the way, we will definatley get down to Sicilia as my Mother in Law is from Salina and when they come next year we will do a road trip with them. I’d love the kids to see where Nonna and Nonno are from. The Veravo house is in need of a total renovation with really just the shell, it’s in a glorious spot and so beautiful, I hope we sell and I hope we don’t arghhh.

I so hear you….we went to Hill End for the Easter weekend and we had NO power, no internet, no service
It was like we were really living instead of existing….yet here we are back in our motorhome with all the comforts – back on computers and back to old ways.
Gosh Lisa your children are growing up so fast!! Carina is blossoming into a fine young lady, and Luca is turning into a fine young man. So wished we could buy your House in Italy, and be close enough to visit you guys, I love your adventures.
Can’t wait to when you and Carina go to Paris, its going to be such a great time for you both xxxlisa wood recently posted..Watson Bay To Hill End

I saw the photo’s of your boys Lisa how proud you must be, they looked fantastic. It is sad how wonderful it is to have no access to the internet, hard to get back into the swing but I’m learning to manage it all slowly. I’m doing B-School with Marie Forleo and learning so much.

The kids are getting big and finding the way here in this new life. Paris is still like a dream to me, I can’t imagine how it will all pan out xx

Awww that’s so sweet Charmain, I get like that when I don’t hear from online friends for a while. I then realize that it would be almost impossible to actually find them. We had a great trip and saw so many wonderful places and people, priceless for the kids xxx
sending love lisa xLisa Chiodo recently posted..Time to Shine – Carla Coulson, Paris and turning 50

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Ciao amici, My name is Lisa Chiodo, it's great to have you part of the growing community here. You can now find all the latest from Renovating Italy in your inbox. The comments section at the end of each post is a great way to connect with me. If you have a question -- ask. I personally read and respond to every last one. Connect with me on Twitter at , Facebook, Pinterest and LinkedIn. ciao lisa x